Film attachment for stereopticon projecting machines



W. J. CITRON FILM ATTACHMENT FOR STEREOPTICON PROJECTING MACHINES Oct. 20

Filed Oct. 1, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 lama-11701- W/L L [AM 'J. Cl TRON.

Get. 20, 1925.

w. J. CITRON FILM ATTACHMENT FOR STEREOPTICON PROJECTING MACHINES.

Filed Oct. 1, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Oct. 20, 1925.

1,558,145 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J'. CITRON, OF SAN FRANCISCO,

CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 LO'UIS B. GREENFIELD, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

FILM. ATTACHMENT FOR STEREOPTIGON PROJECTING MACHINES.

Application filed October 31, 1923. Serial No. 671,888.

To all whom it may concern-.1

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. CrrRoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Film Attachments for Stereopticon Projecting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the projection of still pictures, texts, announcements, etc., through the medium of continuousfilm. I

In nearly all motion picture theatres, it is customary to project reading matterand still pictures for the purpose of announcmg a future program or as an advertisement for local merchants. For this purpose a stereopticon projector is used which is slow and cumbersome on account of the time required to insert and remove the slides. Often the slides become broken, mixed up or disarranged,-causing interruption in an extended f announcement or series of pictures. Then too, there being no movement in the ordinary stereopticonprojection, its

effect is not as attractive as is to be desired.

The advantage of having some movement or variationin connection with such announcements or advertisements has led exhibitors to resort to the use of motion pictures for this.purpose.. Obviously, however, the cost of making motion pictures for such purposes is prohibitive in most cases in view of the limited use thereof.

The objectof my invention is to ,make possible the use of a movable and continuous film as a medium for projecting reading matter or still pictures through a stereopticon or like projector as a substitute for the usual glass slides.

he invention generally stated embodies an. attachment or stereopticon or like projectorswhereby still pictures, texts, announcements and the like carried upon a movable and continuous film may be projected upon a screen with provision for moving the film past the projecting aperture so as to impart motion to the projected image on the screen, and in conjunction therewith I provide an adjustable shutter mechanism whereby the size of aperture may be varied so as to project more or less of the subject-matter on any one section of the film in order to emphasize or accentuate some particular partthereof. XVhere theiattachment is used in connection with a stereopticon projector, I

make use of the second lamp to provide an adjustable and ornamental framing device for the projected image. The adjustable framing device is operated in synchronism with the adjustable shutters so that the border or frame will be varied to suit the size of the projected image. The film employed con- 'sists of a long strip of connected pictures,

sume is exemplified in the' following dc scription and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- F 1g.1 1s a side elevation of a StQI'EOPtlCOIl' projecting machine showing the application of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a front view of thefilm attachment, the cooperating adjustable shutter,-

and the framing device.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on line 3-3, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the frame projecting mechanism.

Fig. .5- is a perspective view of the upper shutter of the frame projecting mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the lower shutter employed in the frame projecting mechanism.

Fig. 7 shows a view of the image project ed through the film without the use of the adjustable framing device.

Fig. 8 shows a similar view of the screen illustrating the efiect of the adjustable framing device.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and particularly to Fig. 1, A indicates a conventional type of stereopticon projecting machine wl1ich,as usual, is divided into two lamp houses such as indicated at 2 and'3. Disposed in front of each lamp house are a condenser housing B, slide carrier O, bellows D and projecting lens E.

The film attachment, forming the subjectmatten of the present invention, is supported by the upper slide carrier B. The .adjustable shutter cooperatin similarly carried by the side carrier B, while the frame projectihg device is supported b the lower slide carrier indicated at C; e detail of construction of the entire mechanism is best illustrated in Figs. 2, 3,4 5 and 6, and reference will therefore be made to these figures.

The film attachment consistslof a plate or frame such as indicated at 4; this frame being pivotally secured to the slide carrier B as indicated at 5. Formed on each side of the frame plate is a shutter guide 6, and distherewith is posed between the guides is a pair of shutter plates 7 and 8. Both of the plates are rectangular-in sha e and each plate is pro-.

vided with a su stantially square opening such as indicated at 9. The plates are adapted to be moved in opposition to each other and as such form an adjustable aperture through which the nouncement,picture, etc., on the film may be projected.

To impart reverse movement to the shutter plates, a pair of extensions is formed on The frame 4 is similarly extended as shown at 12 and forms a pivotalsupport as shown the wi v to the-lever 14, a slide bar 15 15 em tensions 10 an at 13 fora lever 14. The opposite ends of this lever are ivotall attached to the ex- $11 an when rocking is imparted thereto, reverse movement will be transmitted to'the'shutter 6 thereby increas ing or decreasing the size of the-aperture through which the picture is projected. v Theseshutter plates are effective .to vary the hei ht of the aperture. 'In order to vary th of the aperture, of the slide carrier, indicated at C, using any convenient formof opaque plate as a slide. For the purpose of imparting movement Thisisprovided with a handle16, w iereby it is actuated, andthe upper end of the slide bar is connected to a'crank arm 17 which in turn is secured to a shaft or the like indicated at 13, which supports the-lever 14.

.lowing sufficient time for the spectator to the respective plates as shown at 10 and 11.

.use may be made loyed.

By moving the slide bar 15 in one direction,

the shutteraperture is decreased in size and, converselg, by moving it in the opposite :direction, t e size of the aperture is ncreased.

The slide ,bar 15 is-extended as shown in .tached to a pair of extensions 22 and similar to those indicated at 10 and IL is connectedwith adever arm 19. This is Fig. 2 and its;lower end is pivotally.-con.' nected with a second crank arm 18' which in turn pivotally supported byan extension Q'formed on a frame plate 21, and the oposit'e endsof the leverl19are-pivotally at- 23 The "extensions 22 and 2 3 are connected with slid-"- able plates24 and 25 which cover the apertrue 111 the lower projector and form a part of the adjustable or compensating frame for the ima e projected by the upper lamp.

The 111 attachment is supported by the upper frame plate 4 and it consists of a air of spools such as shown at 26 and 27. he upper spool serves as a receiving spool, while the lower spool indicated at 25 serves the function of a winding spool; This spool is the crank and the spool, each set affording a reduction of approximately 2 to 1 and giving a cumulative reduction of approximately 40 to 1 between the crank and spool. Therefore, the operator can continuously operate the crank at a convenient speed; and on account of the gear reduction between the crank and spool the film will move exceedingly slow across the aperture, thus alread and observe the projected images on the screen, and, furthermore, the film will not respond perceptibly to any slight variations or irregularitiesin the turning of..the crank. The film is maintained in snug engagementwith the shutter plates 7 and 8 by means of agate 32, .this gate being hingedly supported at the points indicated at 33 and beln'g lockedv when in position by means of -a' latch 34. The hinging of the gate is merely a matter of convenience as it permits the film to be readily passed from one spool ,ing spool 27 is in'that instance released by sliding the gear 40 out of mesh with the remaining gear train so as to permit the s ol 2 7to freely rotates It will be noted t at the gear 40 is'sec red in-position on the shaft by means of a n t 41; therefore, if the nut is removed, gear 40 may be moved longitudinallyon the shaft-out of mesh'with t e remaining gears, thus lea-vin the spool 27 free, to rotate; this operation ieing only resorted to when it-is desired rewind the film on spool 26.

Referring now to the adjustable to quickly device, the plate indicated at 25 will be referred to as the upper shutter and the plate 24 as the lower shutter. These shutters are perhaps best illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6; Fig. 5 illustrating the upper shutter and Fig. 6, the lower shutter. The lower shutter consists of a metal plate in which is formed a rectangular-shaped opening 50. Secured to thelower edge of the shutter, by means of rivets or the like as indicated at 51, is a transparent plate 52 which may be constructed of glass, celluloid or a like material, and secured to the upper edge of the transparent plate is an angle bracket 53. The upper plate is also constructed of metal and has two extended legs formed on its lower end such as indicated at 54 and 55. A transparent plate 56 is secured to the plate and this plate is also provided with two extending legs as indicated at 57 and 58. The plate 56 furthermore carries an,

angle bracket such as shown at 59 and this,

together with the a gle bracket '53 previously referred to, supports a foldable diaphragm such as indicated at 60. The'diaphragm 60' is constructed of a non-transparent material such as black silk or the like and no light is .thus to be projected therethrough. Light will, however, be"pr0- rjected through the transparent plates 52 and 56 and the light thus projected is employed for the purpose of framing the announcement which is projected through the upper shutter. projected, for instance, colored or otherwise, and practically any ornamental design may be employed as the border is painted or photographed in colors on the plates 52 and 56, an outline ofa frame being indicated at 61. F or. the manufacture of the trans- .parent plates 52 and 56, I may employ a sensitized glass plate and photograph the desired border thereon. Thereafter the plate can be cut into the shape of a U to form the plate 56 with legs 57 and 58,, the part cut out therefrom being recut to form the plate 52.

The shutters 24 and 25 work in unison with the shutters 7 and 8 and, as this is the case, when the aperture produced by the shutters 7 and 8 is small, the frame projected by the lower shutters will also be small, and as the upper aperture is enlarged the frame is enlarged.- correspondingly.

In the practice of this invention a series of still pictures, announcements, texts, etc., are photographed on a strip \of film by means of a still camera or a panoramic camera. A number of such strips of film may be pasted together to form a reel of the required length. This reel is inserted in the attachment and the free end of the film is connected with the winding spool. .Movement of the latter will carry the film past the aperture in front of the lamp house and Any type of border may be any size opening may be formed by manipulation of the adjustable shutters. Thus, if one line only of the announcement is to be featured, the shutters are moved close together, while if the full area of the screen is to be utilized then, the shutters are moved apart, thus displaying several lines. It is apparent that by using a continuous and movable film the announcement or text can be unravelled' slowly upon the. screen without interruption and the images of the words; symbols or pictures can be brought upon the screen in continuous procession, thereby at tracting greater attention than would an ordinary still projection such. as the usual stereopticon produces.

It will be understood that the lower projecting lens is focused on the same area as the upper projectinglens so that the frame or border on the lower projector will surround the matter projected through the upper lens. Inasmuch as the adjustable framing device is connected to the adjustable shutters of the upper projector, it is obvious that the size of the frame or border will l be varied in accordance with the size of the projected matter. In some cases I may omit the adjustable framing device and employ but one unit of the projector or perhaps use the film attachment in connection with a magic lantern; However, the framing device gives a more attractive effect and breaks up the straight lines that otherwise would surround the image. This is illustrated in the drawings where the projected' image, without the border or .ornamental frame, is shown in 7, and in Fig. 8 where it is shown with the orna mental frame or.border.

It was previously stated that the film attachment was pivotally supported with relation to the upper slide carrier B as indicated at 5. While this is not essential it may be of advantage in some instances as it permits the frame plate 4, together with the mechanism supported thereby, to be swung up into the horizontal position indicated by dotted lines at 7. (See Fig. 1.) This is accomplished by first disconnecting the slide bar 15. with relation to'the lever 17 and then raising the frame plate B and securing it in its horizontal position by means of a leg such as. shown at 71; that is, the use of ordinary slide plates may be required from time to time audit is for this reason that the frame 4 is pivotally supported so that it may be swung out of the way of the slide carrier B. to permit the use thereof. I The lower frame plate 21 is secured to the slide carrier G by means of an upper clamp such as indicated at 72. This may therefore also be removed when desired, thus permitting the stereopticon projector to be used in the ordinary manner. Where the film attachment, the adjustable shutter and the framing device, are installed? w vention are more or less specifically illustrated, I wish it understood that various changes in form and proportion may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims. I similarly wish it understood that the materials and finish of the several parts employed may be such as the experience and judgment of the manufacturer may dictate or various uses may demand.

While I have used the term ffilm throu bout the specification and.claims, it

is to, e understood that the use of elements other than a film may be employed by -which announcements,figures or pictures ma be pro ectedon the screen with practi ca y 'the'same results. .For instance, the

use ofa roll orstrip of a prepared element" '.'such as transparent paper on which the text is written w th a pen, pencil or ,is typewritten, or an opaque element may jbe employed on which a transparent 'text is A opa ue condition maymbe employed.

scratched giving a white projection on a dark screen. The use of gelatine, which is at present employed as a. substitute for glass slides in producingquick announcements, such as election returns, etc., may be employed, ,or prepared paper or silk or other cloth either in a" transparent or an aving thus descri I claim n r- 1'. An attachment forlight projectors hav= (1 my invention, what in asIidecarrier, comprising means hinge ed y'mounted in. front of the slidecarrier toreceive andsupport a flexible film; in pobe swung away from :thes'li permit the latterto-be'used theordinary means-"film and support being'adapted to 0 carrier to 2. The anneal. withsipro eeii g ma chine, of-an attachment thereforfineluding winding and unwinding spools tosupp'ort a flexible .film inposition across the pro ection shutter membersmovable toward an aperture,'-ma-nually operated means foractu ating the winding spool, said manually. op-' eratedrmeans including reductiongearing .afiording' approximately fortyitoone reductiono'r greater, and means fordisconnecting said gearingto permifithe winding spool to beuiiwonn if 3.- The combination withja rojectingmm chine, of an attachment there or,.com rising each other inpositionto vary the size of the projecting aperture, a hinged member formamg in con unction with theshutter members means to receive and guide 'a' movably and desire to secure by Letters Patfrom across the aperture, and means for simul taneously moving the shutter members in opposite directions.

4. The combination. with a projecting machine, of an attachment thereforcom- "prising winding and unwinding spools to receive and support a flexible film in position across the aperture in the projecting machine manually operated means for imparting motion at-greatly'reduced-speed of travel to the film whereby reading matter, announcements and the like contained on the film may be projected upon a-screen in continuous .motion but sufliciently slow to enable the spectators to read'the same or may be held stationary at the will "of the operator,

oppositely movable shutters for varying the size of the aperture in the projecting machine and unitary means adjacent .the

film operating means for controlling said shutters whereby the area of'the projectedmatter may be varied during the operation .of the film.

- 5. Anattach ment for light projectors having' a .slide carrier, compr sing a frame arranged in front of the shde carrier, wrnd- ,mg andjunwm'dmg spools to receive and support a' flexible film carried by said frame,

a pair of shutter members adjustable toward and from eachother-also carried 1) said frame in position to controlthe aper ture inthe pro ector, anda hinged mounting'for the frame, whereby it'an-d the connected parts may be swung away from the slide carrier to permit the latter to be used l in the normal way.

6. An attachment foi' light projectors having a slide carrier, comprising a; frame arranged in front of the slide carrier, winding and unwinding spools having-a flexible film' 0 mounted on said :Er'ame, and manually oper- I sitionacross the aperture therein, and means for operating;v saidfilm," said operating ated means for continuously and slowly actuating the-film arranged on the .said frame, and a hinged, mounting for theframe,

whereby it.and theconnected parts may be swu away from the slide carrierx R- tem and'slidecarrier, of an attachment posi-' tioned in-front (if-l the "slide barrier andcon i I .sistiugof a frame, winding and unwinding spools to receive and support a film, shutter, members movable toward and 'fromr -eaeh. other in a vertical direction to vary the 5' height of t p r Pin -.the=. projector,"1 'v aidia'pted to receive and "support a film, said filmhaving anannouncemenntext, etc., printed, photogra bed or otherwise formed thereon, a shutter aving an aperture formed therein and through which the announce I combination with'aflight'projeca tor, including a lamp house, condensing sys p j g m chine, of an attachment there- 2 ment is projected,- means for increasing or decreasing the size of the aperture so as to display any portion of the announcement or all thereof, a frame projecting device cooperating with the shutter and adapted to project a frame to surround the announcement, and means for adjusting the size of the frame projecting device in unison with the shutter. f I

9. The combination with a double stereopticon, of an attachment therefor, comprising a film support and operating mechanism therefor for cooperation with one unit of the stereopticon, shutter members movable toward'and from each other to vary the size of the projecting aperture across which the film passes, a border or frame projecting device for cooperation with the other unit of the stereopticon and consisting of a pair of plates slidable towards and from each other, and means for ad' members and plates in unison.

10. In a device of the character described, a frame projecting device, and means permitting adjustment-of the same to increase or decrease the size of theqframe projected, said device comprising a pair of sliding ing the shutter the image,

a non-transparent diaphragm connecting the plates, and means for imparting movement to the plates in opposition to each other.

12. In an attachment of the character described, a film having a series of successive images printed thereon, a shutter cooperating with the film and having an adjustable orifice through which the images are projected onthe screen and by the adjustment of which any portion or all of the image may be blocked out, separate means for projecting: a frame on to the screen to surround and means for increasing or decreasing the size of the frame projecting means in unison with the adjustment of the shutter orifice.

WILLIAM J. OITRON. 

